KBI: Man Shot by Deputies in Dodge City Was Suspect in Arizona Killings
UNDATED (AP) – Police say a man who was shot and killed in a shootout that left four Kansas law enforcement officers injured was a suspect in a double homicide in Phoenix, Arizona. Phoenix police say in a news release that 39-year-old Leroy D. Malone was a suspect in a shooting on Sunday in Phoenix that left two adults dead. Investigators discovered Malone and a woman had likely fled the state. The shootout began after officers stopped Malone's vehicle in Dodge City. Three officers were hospitalized and the fourth was treated and released. The woman with Malone also was shot and is hospitalized.
(–Earlier Reporting–)
Suspect Killed, 3 Deputies Wounded in Dodge City Gun Battle
DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a wanted man was killed and three deputies were wounded Monday morning in an exchange of gunfire in western Kansas. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says the sheriff's office in Clark County tried to stop the suspect around 9 am. The Ford County Sheriff's Office and Kansas Highway Patrol joined the pursuit, which wound into Dodge City. There, the suspect was fatally shot and a woman in the vehicle was critically wounded. Their names were not released. Two Ford County deputies and one from Clark County were wounded. Two deputies were rushed to a Wichita hospital with serious injuries. The condition of the third deputy was described as good.
According to the KBI, gunfire erupted once the vehicle came to a stop in an area of Dodge City that includes a John Deere dealership and a gas station. In video posted by Wichita television station KAKE, a man can be heard yelling "Get your hands up." As the shooting begins, an officer dodges behind a truck.
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Kansas Governor to Outline Agenda for Skeptical Lawmakers in State of the State Address
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Governor Laura Kelly is preparing to outline what she's likely to call a middle-of-the-road agenda for the Republican-controlled Kansas Legislature. But lawmakers already expect to ditch much of what she'll propose in favor of more conservative ideas on taxes and education. Kelly is scheduled to give the annual State of the State address tonight (TUE) to a joint session of the state House and Senate. She has previously outlined several proposals for cutting taxes, but top Republicans have their own ideas. Kelly also has promised to push for expanding the state's Medicaid coverage for the needy and elderly. That's been blocked by GOP lawmakers in previous years.
Kansas Public Radio will provide live coverage of the governor's State of the State address starting at 6:30 pm.
(-Related-)
Statewide Tax Cuts on the Table in Topeka
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR/KNS) - Tax cuts are squarely on the agenda for Kansas lawmakers this session. But they’ll have to choose from several competing proposals. Which taxes to cut... and by how much? Those are the questions facing the Democratic governor and the Republican-controlled Legislature. Governor Laura Kelly wants to use part of a growing budget surplus to speed up the elimination of the sales tax on food. But many Republican lawmakers have other ideas. They want to replace the state’s two-tiered income tax with a flat tax. Meanwhile, the Kansas Chamber – the state’s most influential business group – wants budget surpluses to go toward income tax relief. Chamber lobbyist Eric Stafford touted the proposal in an interview with the Kansas Reflector. “Whatever they set for what they think revenues will be, anything over that is going to be used to buy down income taxes," he said. Hearings on some smaller tax-cut proposals are scheduled for this week.
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KC Police: 1 of 3 Victims in Friday Shooting at Funeral Home Has Died
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KC Star) - One of three people shot at a funeral home in south Kansas City has died. The Kansas City Star reports that police believe the shooting was likely the result of an argument that began late Friday morning inside the Elite Funeral Chapel (at 11525 Blue Ridge Blvd). On Monday, authorities were told that 29-year-old Bryson Washington, who remained hospitalized since the shooting, died from his injuries. A suspect has not yet been publicly identified.
Witnesses at the shooting scene told The Star that a man who appeared to be intoxicated opened fire at the funeral home after being asked to leave. Witnesses told The Star that the man shot a woman as she sat on a couch inside the funeral home before shooting another person, now identified as Washington, outside the building.
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Fatal Overdoses of Three Teens Linked to Alleged Kansas City Fentanyl Dealer
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KC Star) - A Kansas City man faces federal charges in connection with the distribution of fentanyl that authorities say is linked to the deaths of three teenagers. The Kansas City Star reports that 22-year-old Tiger Dean Draggoo has been charged with possession of fentanyl and firearms. The investigation into Draggoo began with the overdose death of a Belton juvenile on January 14, 2022. The victim is identified in court documents as B.R.J. In September of last year, two other Belton teenagers died of fentanyl poisoning that authorities allege was purchased from Draggoo. A search of Draggoo’s south Kansas City apartment turned up firearms, blue counterfeit Percocet pills and nearly $250,000 in cash. Draggoo made his first court appearance Monday in Kansas City.
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Wichita Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution
WICHITA, Kan. (KPR) – A Wichita man has pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl. Federal prosecutors say 24-year-old Javyn Johnson sold 29-year-old Chanelle Pratt what she thought to be two Percocet pills in August 2019. Later the same day, the Wichita woman was found dead in her home after ingesting one of the pills. An autopsy later determined her cause of death to be Fentanyl toxicity. In his plea agreement, Johnson claims he didn’t know the tablets contained Fentanyl, however, he acknowledged giving her the pills that caused her death.
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2 Suspects Rob Bank in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) — Authorities are looking for two men who held up a a bank in Kansas City late Monday morning. KMBC TV reports that the Bank Midwest branch (at 7904 Ward Parkway) was robbed at 11:43 am. The FBI says two suspects are wanted in the case, one of which was wearing a brown "onesie" during the robbery. One of the suspects displayed a gun and demanded cash. Both men fled the bank, leaving in a vehicle described as a White Kia four-door passenger vehicle. No one was hurt during the robbery. If you have information about this case, contact the TIPS Hotline at (816) 474-TIPS.
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Kansas Man Arrested After Fatal House Fire Killed Woman, 2 Girls
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The only survivor of a Kansas house fire that killed a woman and two young girls has been arrested on suspicion of setting the blaze. Topeka police arrested 32-year-old Kyle J. Tyler, of Holton, on Saturday. He remained jailed Sunday on suspicion of three counts of first-degree murder committed in the commission of another felony, arson and several other charges. Tyler was being held in lieu of $1 million bail but had not been formally charged. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the three people who died in the Friday morning fire were identified by city spokeswoman Gretchen Spiker as 30-year-old Genny
Fitzpatrick, 9-year-old Peyton Tyler, and 1-year-old Kourtney Tyler.
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Officer-Involved Fatal Shooting in Wellington Under Investigation
WELLINGTON, Kan. (KPR) - One man is dead following an officer-involved shooting in Wellington. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) says the shooting took place at a home (1111 E. 7th St.) Saturday night, where the Wellington Police Department had responded to a disturbance. A woman at the home reported that 30-year-old Harley Bagby, of Wellington, was “tearing the house up." As officers entered the home, police say Bagby walked into the hallway carrying a large knife. Officers told Bagby to drop the knife, Police say Bagby failed to comply and began walking toward the officers, knife still in hand. An officer fired multiple shots, hitting Bagby. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The officer who shot Bagby has been placed on paid administrative leave. The KBI is investigating.
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Man Dies After Dog Steps on Rifle, Causing Gun To Discharge
SUMNER COUNTY, Kan. (NBC) - A 30-year-old man died in Kansas Saturday after what appears to be a bizarre gun accident. Authorities say the man was struck by a bullet discharged from a rifle after a dog stepped on the gun. NBC News reports that the shooting unfolded Saturday morning in a truck about 45 miles south of Wichita. Wellington Fire and EMS Chief Tim Hay told NBC News that investigators believe the dog stepped on the rifle in the back of the truck, causing it to fire and hit the back of the man, who was found in the front passenger seat. Emergency medical personnel administered CPR before the victim, whose name has not yet been released, was pronounced dead at the scene. Another person who was in the driver's seat was unharmed.
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Sex Abuse Charges Filed Against Former Kansas Teacher
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KSHB) — The Johnson County District Attorney's Office has charged a former teacher at Gardner Edgerton High School with child sex crimes. KSHB TV reports that 28-year-old Nick Prutsman is charged with two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. In a letter to families, the school district said the Gardner Police Department notified them of the allegations against Prutsman. The letter said Prutsman was immediately removed from the school campus on December 12. The school’s website identifies Prutsman as a teacher of automotive technology at the high school’s Advanced Technical Center. He was arrested last week and released after posting bond. He's due back in court on January 31.
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Mayor of Goddard and City Administrator Ousted
GODDARD, Kan. (KWCH) - The Goddard City Council has ousted its mayor and fired a city administrator. KWCH TV reports that the council voted to remove Larry Zimmerman as mayor last week and immediately installed a new mayor, Hunter Larkin. After that vote, Larkin then motioned to fire the city administrator, Brian Silcott. The new mayor refused to comment on the reasons the city council took such drastic actions. Zimmerman, who served on the city council for 23 years, said he was caught off guard. He resigned his regular council seat. On the Facebook page called “For Goddard’s Sake,” another former Goddard City council member, Mike Proctor, called for a recall election beginning with Mayor Larkin.
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Overland Park Woman Sentenced for Bank Fraud
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KCTV) - An Overland Park woman has been sentenced to more than 2.5 years in prison for bank fraud. Federal prosecutors say 52-year-old Stephanie Stites, of Overland Park, embezzled more than $712,000 from Norbrook Inc. KCTV reports that Stites created two fake companies and manipulated invoices. Stites was sentenced Friday to 33 months in prison. She's also been ordered to pay nearly $713,000 in restitution. In her plea agreement, Stites said she spent the stolen money on her home and vehicle as well as on travel, hotels and real estate.
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2 Men Find Ancient Bison Fossil in Missouri River Near Downtown Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Two men have stumbled upon something special, possibly even prehistoric, along the Missouri River. KCTV reports that Mike Ruth and Dave Jamerson recently discovered a piece of a skull with attached horns that may have come from an ancient bison. Dr. Melissa Eaton, president of the KC Archaeological Society, confirmed that the skull was likely some kind of bison. She added that it may, in fact, be an extinct species of bison. Bison antiquus was a mammal even larger than the buffalo of today. She said the animal was a dominant species in this area 10,000 years ago.
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Kansas Loses Three in a Row as No. 17 Baylor Beats No. 9 KU in Matchup of Last 2 National Champs
WACO, Texas (AP) — LJ Cryer had 22 points with five 3-pointers and 17th-ranked Baylor stretched its Big 12-best winning streak to five games with a 75-69 win over No. 9 Kansas Monday night. It was a matchup of the last two national champions. The reigning champion Jayhawks lost their third straight game. It's only their fourth three-game losing streak in coach Bill Self's 20 seasons. Adam Flagler added 17 points for 2021 champion Baylor, which is 15-5. Freshman guard Gradey Dick had 24 points for the 16-4 Jayhawks while Jalen Wilson had 23. Kevin McCullar Jr. had 14 points and 12 rebounds for his fifth double-double this season. Baylor's 75-69 win gave the Bears a Big 12-best five game winning streak since losing their first three conference games.
"There is time to be reactive in a negative way if your team's not doing well. This is not one of our times," Self said. "We have gotten beat, and granted we got beat (by) a team that was projected to win the league tonight, that's really good. And they went through the same crap we're going through right now. ... Our league is that good. It's going to be a grind."
BIG PICTURE
Kansas: The other times the Jayhawks lost three in a row under Self were in February 2005, February 2013 and January 2021.
UP NEXT
Kansas goes to Rupp Arena to play Kentucky in the SEC/Big 12 Challenge on Saturday. Baylor is home for its SEC/Big 12 Challenge game against Arkansas on Saturday. That is a rematch of the 2021 Elite Eight game the Bears won 81-72 on way to winning their national championship.
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Chiefs Coach Andy Reid: Patrick Mahomes Will Play Against Bengals in AFC Title Game
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday that Patrick Mahomes will play in the AFC championship game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He also said the high ankle sprain that the All-Pro quarterback sustained over the weekend against the Jacksonville Jaguars is less severe than the one he played through during the 2019 season opener. Mahomes was hurt in the first quarter of Saturday's win over Jacksonville. Mahomes finished off the drive but was hobbling badly, and Reid and the training staff forced him to get an X-ray that came back negative. He had an MRI on Sunday that revealed the extent of the injury.
After the game against Jacksonville, Mahomes said his ankle felt better than expected and he vowed to play in the AFC title game — the fifth consecutive one hosted by Kansas City and a rematch of last year's game won by Cincinnati in overtime. "He's going to play," Reid told a group of local reporters. "That's his mindset." Reid said it was too early to tell how much Mahomes will practice this week. The Chiefs typically spend Monday reviewing film and getting treatment, then the players get Tuesday off, before their first full practice on Wednesday.
The Chiefs have lost three straight to the Bengals, all since January 2022, including last year's AFC championship game. That was the only one of the three played at Arrowhead Stadium, though just like the rest, the Chiefs wound up losing by a field goal. In that game, Kansas City blew a 21-3 lead in the 27-24 overtime defeat.
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Chiefs' Decision to Trade Hill Opened Future for Success
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs could have paid Tyreek Hill handsomely and gone all-in on another championship run. Instead, they dealt him to the Dolphins for a package of draft picks and some financial flexibility. In doing so, they took a championship window that might have lasted a few years and extended it by several more. It was a difficult choice, though, and one their opponent in Sunday's AFC title game will soon face. The Bengals intend to pay quarterback Joe Burrow handsomely as soon as this offseason, and that will mean tough decisions on free agents such as Vonn Bell and Jessie Bates III.
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Germans "Excited" To Host Kansas City Chiefs Game
UNDATED (Forbes) - The NFL has designated the Kansas City Chiefs to play in one of the two games in Germany during the 2023 season. The date, time and opponent for the Chiefs are still being finalized. The game will likely will take place in either Munich or Frankfurt. This contest will mark the third regular season international game in Chiefs history. The club previously played the Detroit Lions in London in 2015 and the Los Angeles Chargers in Mexico City in 2019. The Chiefs won both contests. According to Forbes magazine, many NFL fans in Germany are excited by the news. Daniel Jensen, the head of content at SPORTFIVE global sports marketing agency and co-host of a Chiefs podcast called Das Kingdom, was asked for his country’s reaction to the news. “Extremely excited,” Jensen said. “People are really going crazy right now. They (Kansas City) have the team that gets the best ratings when they’re broadcasted in Germany," he said. Like the Chiefs, the Patriots also will play in Germany in 2023. But Chiefs have the added draw of being quarterbacked by the presumptive 2022 MVP, Patrick Mahomes. “Patrick Mahomes probably is the most popular player,” Jensen said.
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This summary of area news is curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Tom Parkinson and Kaye McIntyre. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays. These ad-free headlines are made possible by KPR members. Become one today. And follow KPR News on Twitter.